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Compare Cuba (2007) - Israel (2001)

Compare Cuba (2007) z Israel (2001)

 Cuba (2007)Israel (2001)
 CubaIsrael
Administrative divisions 14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Age structure 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 1,100,672/female 1,042,327)


15-64 years: 70.5% (male 4,019,648/female 4,016,429)


65 years and over: 10.7% (male 554,043/female 660,924) (2007 est.)
0-14 years:
27.36% (male 831,523; female 792,982)

15-64 years:
62.73% (male 1,869,114; female 1,855,707)

65 years and over:
9.91% (male 253,105; female 335,662) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Airports 165 (2007) 55 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 70


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 31 (2007)
total:
30

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
7 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 95


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 71 (2007)
total:
25

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
20 (2000 est.)
Area total: 110,860 sq km


land: 110,860 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
20,770 sq km

land:
20,330 sq km

water:
440 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly smaller than New Jersey
Background The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006. Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip) and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. On 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982.
Birth rate 11.44 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 19.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $32.41 billion


expenditures: $34.28 billion (2006 est.)
revenues:
$40 billion

expenditures:
$42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital name: Havana


geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
Climate tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Coastline 3,735 km 273 km
Constitution 24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002 no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Cuba


conventional short form: Cuba


local long form: Republica de Cuba


local short form: Cuba
conventional long form:
State of Israel

conventional short form:
Israel

local long form:
Medinat Yisra'el

local short form:
Yisra'el
Currency - new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Death rate 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $16.62 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (2006 est.) $38 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland chief of mission:
Ambassador Martin S. INDYK

embassy:
71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv

mailing address:
PSC 98, Unit 7228, APO AE 09830

telephone:
[972] (3) 519-7575

FAX:
[972] (3) 517-3227

consulate(s) general:
Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government
Diplomatic representation in the US none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521 chief of mission:
Ambassador David IVRY

chancery:
3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 364-5500

FAX:
[1] (202) 364-5607

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
Disputes - international US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights)
Economic aid - recipient $87.8 million (2005 est.) $1.1 billion from the US (1999)
Economy - overview The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing Cuba oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 98,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel, including some 20,000 medical professionals. In 2006, high metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that have plagued the country since 2004. Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Cuts diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR topped 750,000 during the period 1989-99, bringing the population of Israel from the former Soviet Union to 1 million, one-sixth of the total population, and adding scientific and professional expertise of substantial value for the economy's future. The influx, coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early 1990s. But growth began moderating in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 5.9% in 2000. But the outbreak of Palestinian unrest in late September and the collapse of the BARAK Government - coupled with a cooling off in the high-technology and tourist sectors - undercut the boom and foreshadows a slowdown to 2%-3% in 2001.
Electricity - consumption 12.27 billion kWh (2005) 31.899 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 1.061 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 4 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 14.65 billion kWh (2005) 35.437 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
99.89%

hydro:
0.11%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
lowest point:
Dead Sea -408 m

highest point:
Har Meron 1,208 m
Environment - current issues air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Environment - international agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1% Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.)
Exchange rates Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.9231 (2006)


note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.0810 (December 2000), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997), 3.1917 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976)


cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session


elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008)


election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%


note: due to an ongoing health problem, Fidel CASTRO Ruz provisionally transferred power to his brother Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz on 31 July 2006 in accordance with the Cuban Constitution; Fidel CASTRO has not yet reclaimed control of the government
chief of state:
President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000)

head of government:
Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 2 March 2001)

cabinet:
Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset

elections:
president elected by the Knesset for a five-year term; election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2005); prime minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 6 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - in March 1992, the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for the direct election of the prime minister, but in 2001 the Knesset voted to restore the previous method under which the legislators will choose the next prime minister after the next legislative elections in 2003

election results:
Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES, received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON elected prime minister; percent of vote - Ariel SHARON 62.5%, Ehud BARAK 37.4%; note - after the next legislative elections scheduled for 2003, the prime minister will be elected by the Knesset
Exports NA bbl/day $31.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners Netherlands 21.8%, Canada 21.6%, China 18.7%, Spain 5.9% (2006) US 36%, UK 6%, Benelux 5%, Hong Kong 4%, Netherlands 4% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
GDP - purchasing power parity - $110.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 24.8%


services: 71.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture:
4%

industry:
37%

services:
59% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $18,900 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 11.1% (2006 est.) 5.9% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 30 N, 80 00 W 31 30 N, 34 45 E
Geography - note largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles there are 231 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2000 est.)
Heliports - 2 (2000 est.)
Highways - total:
15,965 km

paved:
15,965 km (including 56 km of expressways)

unpaved:
0 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
2.8%

highest 10%:
26.9% (1992)
Illicit drugs territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and increasingly Jordan
Imports NA bbl/day $35.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, consumer goods
Imports - partners Venezuela 26.6%, China 15.6%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 6.4%, Canada 5.6%, Italy 4.4%, US 4.3%, Brazil 4.2% (2006) US 20%, Benelux 11%, Germany 8%, UK 8%, Switzerland 6%, Italy 5% (1999)
Independence 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 17.6% (2006 est.) 7% (2000)
Industries sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting
Infant mortality rate total: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
7.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.2% (2006 est.) 0.1% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 21 (2000)
Irrigated land 8,700 sq km (2003) 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly) Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)
Labor force 4.847 million


note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2006 est.)
2.4 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 20%


industry: 19.4%


services: 60.6% (2005)
public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)
Land boundaries total: 29 km


border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km


note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba
total:
1,006 km

border countries:
Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Land use arable land: 27.63%


permanent crops: 6.54%


other: 65.83% (2005)
arable land:
17%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
6%

other:
66% (1993 est.)
Languages Spanish Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Legal system based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008)


election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609
unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - One Israel 20.2%, Likud Party 14.1%, Shas 13%, MERETZ 7.6%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 5.1%, Shinui 5%, Center Party 5%, National Religious Party 4.2%, United Torah Judaism 3.7%, United Arab List 3.4%, National Union 3%, Hadash 2.6%, Yisra'el Beiteinu 2.6%, Balad 1.9%, One Nation 1.9%, Democratic Movement NA (party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list); seats by party - One Israel 26, Likud Party 19, Shas 17, MERETZ 10, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 4, Shinui 6, Center Party 6, National Religious Party 5, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 5, National Union 4, Hadash 3, Yisra'el Beiteinu 4, Democratic Movement 2 (party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list), Balad 2, One Nation 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.08 years


male: 74.85 years


female: 79.43 years (2007 est.)
total population:
78.71 years

male:
76.69 years

female:
80.84 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.8%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.8% (2002 census)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
95%

male:
97%

female:
93% (1992 est.)
Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 12 ships (1000 GRT or over) 35,030 GRT/51,388 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2


foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)


registered in other countries: 16 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1) (2007)
total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 631,582 GRT/745,011 DWT

ships by type:
container 16, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993 -
Military branches Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (EJT) (2007) Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $8.7 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.8% (2006 est.) 9.4% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
1,522,003

females age 15-49:
1,482,027 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
1,245,757

females age 15-49:
1,208,973 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
49,206

females:
53,379 (2001 est.)
National holiday Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959) Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May
Nationality noun: Cuban(s)


adjective: Cuban
noun:
Israeli(s)

adjective:
Israeli
Natural hazards the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts
Natural resources cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand, oil
Net migration rate -1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
People - note illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border -
Pipelines gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006) crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km
Political parties and leaders Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary] Balad or National Democratic Alliance [Amnon LIPKIN-SHAHAK]; Center Party [Yitzhak MORDECHAI]; Democratic Movement [Roman BRONFMAN]; Gesher [David LEVI]; Hadash [Muhammad BARAKA]; Labor Party [leader vacant]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; MERETZ [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance (Balad) [leader NA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY]; National Union [Rehavam ZEEVI] (includes Herut, Tekuma, and Moledet); One Israel [leader NA] (includes Labor, Gesher, and Meimad); One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Rabbi Eliezer SHACK, spiritual leader]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical of government's Lebanon policy
Population 11,394,043 (July 2007 est.) 5,938,093 (July 2001 est.)

note:
includes about 176,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, about 6,900 in the Gaza Strip, and about 173,000 in East Jerusalem (August 2000 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.273% (2007 est.) 1.58% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Radio broadcast stations AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 3.07 million (1997)
Railways total: 4,226 km


standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)


note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2006)
total:
610 km

standard gauge:
610 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)
Religions nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.056 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.001 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.838 male(s)/female


total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.75 male(s)/female

total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 16 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership


domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding but remains at only about 2 per 100 persons


international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
general assessment:
most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest

domestic:
good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital

international:
3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 972,900 (2006) 2.8 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 152,700 (2006) 2.5 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 58 (1997) 17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Total fertility rate 1.6 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.57 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 1.9% (2006 est.) 9% (2000 est.)
Waterways 240 km (2007) none
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